


Bitter

by Wallwalker



Category: Skies of Arcadia
Genre: Community: 30_kisses, F/F, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-01
Updated: 2009-12-01
Packaged: 2017-10-04 01:29:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24469
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wallwalker/pseuds/Wallwalker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's for their own good, really.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bitter

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written for [30_kisses](http://community.livejournal.com/30_kisses) at Livejournal.

"Ewww! What are you trying to do, Ilchymus - poison us!?"

Ilchymus smiled at Aika as serenely as he could - he was always so calm and peaceful. Still, Aika thought that he could see a teeny-tiny bit of strain in his eyes. "Of course not, Miss Aika. I assure you, my pills are quite the opposite of poison."

Aika stared narrowly at the soft-spoken alchemist. Fina was standing just beside her, quietly looking down at the chalky-looking pill in the palm of her hand. Aika couldn't believe it - they'd only visited the alchemist's shop for some more crystals, and then Ilchymus had given them each one of those pills. Aika had confirmed her worst fear with one tiny taste: they were horribly bitter, and Ilchymus was expecting them to chew them up and swallow them. "It tastes awful," Aika finally complained, gagging slightly at the memory. "Why can't I just swallow it whole?"

"The nutrients in the pill won't be properly absorbed if you don't chew it thoroughly." He adjusted his glasses nervously. "I hope to someday develop a satisfactory formula that would allow the pill to be taken whole, but I haven't yet-"

Aika didn't let him finish before putting the pill back on his table. "I'll wait, thanks."

"Miss Aika, that might be some time from now! And this pill is very good for you - it's especially good for the bones. Won't you reconsider? I put a great deal of work into this formula..."

She sighed. "I know, and I'm sure it's great, and I really appreciate it. I just don't think I can -"

She was interrupted in mid-sentence by a muffled crunch from behind her, then a soft gagging noise. "Ugh... I... think I need some water..."

"Of course, Miss Fina," Ilchymus said quickly. He looked ecstatic, Aika thought - happy enough to kiss her. It was a funny image, the quiet man grabbing a blushing Fina and giving her a big kiss on the cheek. He didn't actually do it, though - he just turned around and started bustling through his equipment. "Forgive me, I should have had it ready for you! I have some drinking glasses here somewhere..."

Aika gave Fina a strange look when he turned away to search through some flasks. "Fina, why did you take it? Those things tasted awful!"

"I... I know," Fina answered, forcing a smile but still looking a little bit green, "but it's not that bad, really... not if it's good for us, right? I... I had to take lots of stuff back at the Shrine that tasted worse than this anyway..."

"Wait... _worse_ than this!?"

"Well, not much worse," Fina conceded faintly.

"Yeah... thought not..." Aika shook her head and sighed. If Fina had taken it so easily... she couldn't exactly chicken out, could she? If the others on Crescent Isle found out that Fina had been brave enough to take something Aika had refused to take, they'd never let her hear the end of it... especially not Vyse. "Um, hey, Ilchymus? Could you... would you get two glasses of water, please?"

"What? Oh, yes, of course, Miss Aika," he called back around a shelf full of glass flasks. "Right away."

"Thanks." Aika smiled weakly and looked down at the pill with trepidation. "Actually... I think you'd better make that three glasses."


End file.
